Top 10 Times Movie Villains Went Too Far

“Whiplash” (2014)
Between throwing chairs and doling our slaps, conductor Terence Fletcher makes the life of student drummer Andrew Neiman a living hell. However, one moment stands out from the rest. After Andrew comes forward about the abuse he’s endured at the hands of Fletcher, student and teacher come together for one last show. In an anxiety-inducing turn of events, Fletcher reveals he knows Andrew turned him in, and changes the performance song on Andrew just seconds before showtime. As Andrew awkwardly tries to play the song without ever having heard it before, Fletcher clearly delights in his embarrassment. It’s every performer's worst nightmare come true.

“X-Men” (2000)
This Marvel franchise is filled with villains who would do anything to satisfy their ambitions. From William Stryker lobotomizing his own son in X2, to Klaus Schmidt killing Magento’s mother in First Class, it’s tough to pick one evil act that went too far. However, this moment from Magneto takes the cake. In the first X-Men movie, Magneto hatches a plot to mutate the world’s leaders with a machine of his own invention. The issue? The strength needed for the machine could kill him. He decides to kidnap a teenage mutant named Rogue, who can absorb the abilities of other mutants. Magneto claims to champion the mutant cause, so his willingness to sacrifice an innocent mutant in his place shows how far he’s fallen.

“Misery” (1990)
When it comes to super fans, it doesn’t get creepier than Annie Wilkes. In this Stephen King adaptation, author Paul Sheldon comes face to face with obsessed fan Annie, who brings him to her home and nurses him back to health after a car wreck. Things go from bad to worse when Paul realizes Annie has no intention of letting him leave. When she’s finally had enough of Paul’s escape attempts, she makes a horrifying decision. In one of the most harrowing scenes ever, Annie uses a sledgehammer to hobble Paul. This marks a turning point in the film that shows just how far Annie will go and how little regard she has for Paul's wellbeing. Talk about getting off on the wrong foot.

“Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2” (2017)
Daddy issues abound in this MCU film! Peter Quill and the guardians run into Ego, a Celestial who also happens to be Quill’s father. Quill is overjoyed, but soon learns that Ego’s more interested in his plan for domination than catching up with his son. Along with Quill, Ego had many children throughout the universe to further his plans. As if womanizing your way through the cosmos isn’t gross enough, Quill learns that Ego gave his mother the tumor that killed her. Learning that your father wasn’t as in love with your mother as you hoped is one thing, but knowing that he killed her? That’ll take some therapy.

“Gladiator” (2000)
At the beginning of Ridley Scott’s Roman epic, Emperor Marcus Aurelius asks General Maximus Meridius to succeed him after his death - bypassing his scheming son Commodus. Marcus believes Commodus will come to realize that he’s made the best choice for Rome. Alas, he underestimates his son’s ambition. When Marcus tells Commodus of his plans for the realm, Commodus pulls him in for a hug and proceeds to suffocate him. What starts out as a tender embrace becomes cold-blooded murder – and patricide, no less. The moment is jarring and sets off a chain of events that show just how right Marcus was about what Rome would become under Commodus’s leadership.

“The Dark Knight” (2008)
The Joker is the epitome of pure evil. It’s difficult to pick one moment where he crosses a line, but we think we’ve found the one. Batman is faced with a horrible choice when the Joker kidnaps District Attorney Harvey Dent and Batman’s former love Rachel Dawes. They’re held in different buildings set to blow up, and Batman can only save one of them. He eventually chooses Rachel, but in a brutal twist, the Joker sends him the address for Dent’s location instead. Rachel dies in the explosion, a devastating event that’s made all the worse because Batman thought he was headed to Rachel the whole time. The Joker intends to break Batman down, and in this moment he succeeds.

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975)
In this psychological drama, Randle McMurphy isn’t exactly the most sympathetic of protagonists. Stuck in prison on assault and statutory rape charges, McMurphy has himself moved to a mental institution, despite knowing he has no mental illness. So yeah, not the best guy. By the end of the film, however, it’s clear the true villain of the movie is Nurse Ratched. She has McMurphy lobotomized despite knowing he doesn’t belong in the ward. The lobotomy is evil in itself, but the moment comes on the coattails of the growing tension between Ratched and McMurphy. She doesn’t go through with the lobotomy because it's necessary – she does it because she hates McMurphy and wants to hurt him in the worst way.

“Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)
Convinced that he needs to bring balance to the universe - in the most murderous way possible - Thanos will stop at nothing to find the Infinity Stones. After kidnapping his daughter and Guardians of the Galaxy member Gamora, Thanos learns that the Soul Stone is on the planet Vormir. He takes Gamora with him, and once there, they learn that the only way to obtain the stone is by sacrificing a loved one. Well, we all know what comes next. This entry is particularly horrible because we know by virtue of the trade that Thanos does love Gamora – without that love, the sacrifice wouldn’t have worked. He just loves the idea of depopulating the universe more.

“John Wick” (2014)
Here we have the event that kicked off this action franchise. After the death of his wife, former assassin John Wick receives a gift from her from beyond the grave – an adorable puppy named Daisy. With the introduction of Daisy, things start looking up for Wick – until he runs into some Russian gangsters. Wick upsets them, and they break into his house, killing sweet, sweet Daisy in the process. Daisy was all John Wick had and represented the memory of his wife. With the death of Daisy, his wife is truly gone too. It takes a true monster to take that away from someone. Plus, look how cute she is!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Max Cady Kisses Danielle, “Cape Fear” (1991)
The Creepiest Revenge Plot Ever

Regina Calls Planned Parenthood, “Mean Girls” (2004)
Poor Taylor Wedell Is a Victim of Regina’s Wrath & She Doesn’t Even Know It

Killmonger Shoots His Girlfriend, “Black Panther” (2018)
Murder Is Never How You Want a Relationship to End

Warden Norton Refuses to Let Andy Free, “the Shawshank Redemption” (1994)
He Knows Andy Is Innocent But Doesn’t Care. He Also Has A Man Killed!

Raoul Silva’s Shooting Game, “Skyfall” (2012)
The Worst Part Is, He Doesn’t Even Pretend He’s Isn’t Shooting to Kill

“Kill Bill: Volume Two” (2004)
In terms of the worst ex-boyfriends ever, Quentin Tarantino’s martial arts villain takes the cake. In Volume One, the Massacre at Two Pines is alluded to, but it isn’t until Volume Two that we see the brutal event that sent Beatrix on her revenge killing spree. Bill, Beatrix’s old mentor and lover, arrives at her wedding rehearsal. He seems to come in peace, but really comes with murder on his heels. As you watch the Deadly Vipers stalk in and kill everyone in the church, you can’t help but think about how blindsided Beatrix must be. One moment, Bill was giving her and her fiance his blessing, and in the next, he’s shooting in the head. Again, worst ex ever.